The aim of the campaign is to build 20 centres for education, public health and football across the African continent.

Representatives from the six community-based organisations met last month with FIFA and streetfootballworld in Rwanda for a four-day workshop which also included representatives from the Rwandan Football Federation and Ministry of Sports and Culture, the German Technical Cooperation agency, and architects from Architecture for Humanity and pitch designers from Greenfields. The aim of the workshop was to achieve a common understanding of the scope, objectives, multiple processes and teamwork that the construction and running of these centres requires.

Above all, the centres are an investment in existing organisations that use the power of the game to promote positive social change in their communities. They will place a strong emphasis on developing football-based programmes to directly address community-specific social challenges, particularly through the promotion of education and access to public health.

“I am glad to see that this is not a single event but a true social legacy, whose impact will be felt long after the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” said Kelly Mkhonto, Director for Community Sport, Sport and Recreation South Africa, during her closing remarks. “I would like to congratulate FIFA on taking bold steps in creating a CSR Department committed to long term social change.”

“The workshop was a huge success indeed! We took a lot from the meeting and are enthused about the impact this project will have in the Namibian community,” wrote Stay-C Namases, National Director of Special Olympics Namibia upon returning home to Windhoek.

The representatives from the six local organisations are now back in their communities preparing for the construction phase and developing further programmes that will fill the centres with life.

Source: fifa.com